While the matching campaign reached its limit, any additional donations will be applied toward a special project—creating a new habitat for Melanie and Joan, two cougar sisters rescued as orphaned cubs.
Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the heart of wildlife protection efforts, is reaching out for help in a critical area of its operations. The sanctuary, which is home to a variety of rescued wild animals, is in dire need of new tires for its lockouts. These lockouts are essential for emergency procedures, particularly when dealing with the sanctuary's big cats and bears.
As Sanctuary Director Lynda Sugasa explains, "Our big cats and bears are trained to go into their lockouts, which is important if we need to evacuate or move them indoors due to extreme weather conditions." Over time, the tires used in these lockouts deteriorate quickly due to the wear and tear caused by heat and cold, making it increasingly difficult to ensure their functionality during emergencies. Safe Haven is urging its supporters to help by donating tires for these vital structures, as they are a crucial part of the animals' safety.
Good News: Safe Haven meets its campaign matching goal
In brighter news, Safe Haven is celebrating a major fundraising achievement thanks to the incredible generosity of its supporters. Through the success of its GivingTuesday campaign on Dec. 2, the sanctuary met its $300,000 matching donation goal. This achievement will support essential operational costs, including food, veterinary care, and supplies, and will help cover cost increases in the coming year. Lynda Sugasa shared her gratitude for the donors: "We are thrilled to have this revenue in place moving forward into 2025, and it’s all thanks to our amazing community of supporters."
But the good news doesn't stop there! While the matching campaign reached its limit, any additional donations will be applied toward a special project—creating a new habitat for Melanie and Joan, two cougar sisters rescued as orphaned cubs. These cougars have been cared for at the sanctuary since they were just two months old and weighed only 12 pounds. Due to their young age and lack of hunting skills, they were deemed unfit for release into the wild. Although Safe Haven has been able to care for them in a smaller cage, the sanctuary recognizes that the girls deserve a larger, more suitable space for their lifelong care. To that end, the sanctuary has raised $72,814 for a new, expansive 10,000-square-foot habitat, which will provide Melanie and Joan with more room to run, play, and engage in natural behaviors. Construction for the habitat is set to begin as early as late December, and the sanctuary is excited to give these two sisters the space they need to thrive.